Heel stripping device



July 17, 1962 J. G. WRIGHT 3,044,084

HEEL STRIPPING DEVICE Original Filed Sept. 22, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ign ,2

July 17, 1962 J, G. WRIGHT 3,044,084

HEEL STRIPPING DEVICE I Original Filed Sept. 22. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 umn-lull' n 5a '5.

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Arron/vens l United erases @arent 3,044,634 HEEL STREPING DEVICE John G. Wright, Atlanta, Ga. Continuation of application Ser. No. 57,701, Sept. 22, 1960. This application June 22, 1961, Ser. No.

Claims. (Cl. 12-50.5)

This invention relates to means for removing worn heels from mens shoes in preparation for placing a new one thereon, and more particularly to an improved device of this sort by which the removal or stripping of the worn heel may be accomplished with exceptional ease and effectiveness.

The improved heel stripping device of the present invention is generally characterized by a lever arrangement for actuating the stripping means at substantial mechanical advantage and in progressive or successive increments so that the heel stripping operation may be controlled nicely, while at the same time allowing it to be performed quite rapidly. In addition, the actuating lever arrangement employed further provides uniquely for selective retraction or withdrawal of the stripping means readily whenever desired, either for recovery after completion of -a stripping operation, or to relieve any jamming that may ocur on occasion, or to restart a stripping operation if need be.

These and other features of the present invention are described in detail below in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a front elevation, partly Ibroken away and sectioned, of a heel stripping device embodying the present invention; Y

FIG. 2 is a right side elevation corresponding generally to FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a plan View illustrating further the structure of the stripping anvil; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in perspective illustrating the heel stripping action provided by the device of the present invention.

The embodiment of the present invention shown in the drawings comprises a basic frame structure 10 that has the form of an upright three-sided shell with the fourth side thereof (i.e., the front side as seen in FIG. 1) generally open between spaced flanges 12. This frame structure 10 is fitted with a suitable base member 14 to maintain it standing uprightly, is reinforced intermediate its height -by a horizontal shelf member 16, and has inset and fixed at the upper end thereof an anvil structure 18.

In addition, a plate member is lxed interiorly of the frame structure flanges 12 below the anvil structure 18 and extending downwardly to the shelf member 16 so as to close the front face of the frame structure 10` thereat; a retainer bracket 22 is mounted at the outer face of this plate member 20; an anchor bracket 24 is mounted at the bottom of the reinforcing shelf member 16; a pivot bracket 25 is mounted in the lower portion of the frame structure 12 at the back face thereof; a stop bracket 26 is fixed interiorly of right hand frame structure ange 12 (as seen in FIG. l) to extend laterally therefrom; reinforcing plates 28 are installed interiorly of the frame structure 10 `at the opposite sides thereof just above the base member 14; a guard bracket 30 is installed on the base member 14 across the spacing between the frame structure anges 12; and a guide bar 32 is fixed exteriorly across the front flanges 12 of the frame structure 10 intermediate its height with a pair of slide bearings 34 aligned therein below similar slide bearings 36 provided in the anvil structure 1S (see FIG. 3).

The anvil structure 18 mounted at lche upper end of the frame structure 10 is formed with a substantial opening at 38, to provide for insertion of a scrap bin 40 thereat within the upper portion of the frame structure 10 to rest on the shelf member 16; and otherwise extends forwardly of the frame structure 10 to carry the previously noted slide bearings 36 at either side thereof, and to have a front central anvil portion 42 formed thereon with a plurality of spaced clearance slots 44 for a corresponding plurality of stripping blades 46 carried in parallel spaced relation above this anvil portion 42 on a cross head 48 that is mounted at the upper ends of a pair of slide rods S0 slidably disposed in the respective slide bearings 34 and 36 of the guide bar 32 and anvil structure 18, and having their lower ends fitted with a bracket bar 52 on which downwardly extending pairs of yoke legs 54 and S6 are arranged.

By the foregoing arrangement, the stripping means formed by the series of stripping blades 46 is disposed on the frame structure 10* for reciprocation in relation to the anvil at 42 between a raised position such as is indicated in FIGS. l and`2, and a lowered position for stripping action as indicated in FIG. 4; and the pairs of yoke legs 54 and 56 extending downwardly from the bracket bar 52 serve for connecting actuating means thereat to control the reciprocation of the stripping means. For this purpose, one pair of yoke legs 54 has connected thereat a rack bar 58 extending downwardly past the previously mentioned stop bracket 26 on the frame structure 10 for engagement at its lower end by a ratchet mechanism indicated generally by the reference numeral 60. This ratchet mechanism 60 comprises a housing formed by a front plate member 62 and a pair of side plate members 64 and 66 slidably receiving the lower end portion of the rack bar 58, and assembled with an inner plate member 68 that serves as a positioning guide rearwardly of the rack bar 58, while additionally carrying a guide block 70 to dispose a release pin 72 in alignment beneath the stop bracket 26 and in relation to a pivoted pawl member 74 Vthat is -biased for engaging the rack bar 58 by a spring seated in the guide block 70 at 74'. The pawl member 74 is pivoted on a pin '76 extended through the side housing plates `64 and 66 as well as the inner plate 68, and additional pins are likewisey extended at 78 and 80 for, respectively, engaging return springs 82 extending from the previously mentioned anchor bracket 24, and connectingthe ratchet mechanism 60 with an operating foot pedal lever 84, that is pivotally mounted on a shaft 86 extended through the side faces of the frame structure 10 at the previously mentioned reinforcing plates 28. The pivot shaft 86 likewise carries a second foot pedal lever 88 that extends therebeyond to a connection from its rear end through a linkage 90 intermediate the length of a counter lever 92, that has its rear end carried by the previously mentioned pivot bracket 25, and extends forwardly therefrom with its other end connected through a further linkage at 94 with the remaining pair of yoke legs 56 on the bracket bar 52 to complete the actuating lever controls.

In addition, a brake means, as indicated generally by the reference numeral 96, is provided for holding the shipping blades 46 at any given position in relation to the anvil 42 until reciprocation is caused in one direction or the other by the above described actuating means. This brake means 96 -comprises an arm member 98 formed with a transverse sleeve portion 100 arranged on one of the slide rods `50 to slidably ride thereon, and with a laterial leg vportion 102 at the opposite end thereof for bearing downwardly on the guide bar 32 at a positioning recess 104 therein. Closely adjacent the sleeve portion 100, the 'brake means arm member 98 is recessed to Ehave a positioning rod 106 arranged upwardly therefrom to extend through the previously mentioned retainer bracket 22 so as to cause the leg portion 102 of the brake means 96 to bear downwardly on the guide bar 32 and thereby provide a biasing reaction tending to cock the arm member 98 soV that the sleeve portion 100 exerts a binding action on the slide rod 50 it rides for gripping and hold- Ving the stripping means stationary unless its movement is forced by the previously described actuating arrangement.

In operation, the heel vstripping device of the present invention, as described above, is manipulated for heel strippin-g operation in the following manner. FIGS. 1

, and 2 of the drawings show Ithe various elements of the heel stripping device in position for starting a heel stripping operation. At this position the stripping blades 46 of engagement with the 4rack bar 5S. Also, the retraction of the ratchet mechanism 60 to this starting position disposes the foot pedal lever'84 at its raised full line position as seen in FIG. 2 in readiness for commencing a stripping operation, while the other foot pedal lever 88 will be lowered at the -full line position shown 'because of its connected arrangement with the bracket bar 52.

If a shoe S is then placed on the anvil 42 to have a heel H removed therefrom by the stripping blades 46,

as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 4, the stripping operation may be commenced simply lby pressing downwardly on the foot pedal lever 84, which has the initial edeet of drawing downwardly the ratchet mechanism 60 below the stop bracket 26 so that the bias on the pawl member 74 can act to displace upwardly the release pin 72 and allow engagement with the rack bar 58. Further downward movement of the foot pedal lever 84 will thereupon cause the. stripping blades 46 4to -be pulled downwardly against the holding force of the brake means 96 so as to close toward the anvil 42 and start the stripping operation. The mechanical advantage provided through the foot pedal lever y84 is substantial as this is done so that the heel stripping action obtained is easily commenced and can be readily continued in progressive increments by repeated downward strokes of thepedal lever 84. The downward stroke extent of the pedal lever 84 is preferably proportioned to close the stripping blades 46 t0- wards the anvil 42 in an extent of about of an inch, and several strokes are accordingly needed to complete the stripping operation `by closing the stripping blades 46 on the anvil 42 sufficiently to force the heel H off of the shoe, S, as indicated in FIG. 4, so that it will finally drop away and fallY ntothe scrap bin 40 that ispositioned to collect the strippedv heels as they are removed.

Y After each stroke of the foot pedal lever 84the ratchet mechanism will be released from the rack bar 58 if it is allowed to Vreturn to its starting position, so that retraction of the stripping means is possible at any time for relieving a jammed condition, or for restarting the stripping operation, simply by releasing the pedal lever 84 to its starting position and pressing downward alternatively on the foot pedal lever 88 which will have been raised to an extent corresponding with the previous downward movement of the stripping blades 46 by the pedal lever 84. Upon completion of a Vfheel'stripping operation,

Y Ythe alternate foot pedal lever 88 will be raised fully to the dotted line position indicated in FIG; 2 and downward pressure thereon at this time will Vresult in forcing withdrawal of the stripping Iblades 46 from the anvil 42 against invention may also be provided for operation to equally good advantage without the brake means 96. When thisis done, the stripping blades 46 will normally remain lowered on the anvil 42, in the absence of the brake means 96 to hold them raised, so that the starting of a heel stripping operation will involve use of the alternate foot pedal 88 just to withdraw the stripping blades 46 upwardly for interposing a shoe S on the anvil 42 to have a heel H stripped therefrom. Once the shoe S has been disposed in place in this manner for stripping, however, the4 stripping operation will be carried out exactly as has been described above, and the stripping blades 46 simply be left at .their lowered position upon completion of the stripping to be raised again by the foot pedal 8 8 for commencing a subsequent operation whenever desired.

The present invention has been described in detail above for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Means of the character described comprising an anvil, stripping means reciprocable in relation to said anvil, brake means biased for holding said reciprocable stripping means stationary, and lever means 'for forcing said reciprocable stripping means toward said anvil against the holding force of said brake means and incorporating a ratchet mechanism allowing said forcing to be done in successive increments.

2. Means of the character described comprising an anvil, stripping means reciprocable in relation to said anvil, brake means biased for holding said reciprocable stripping means stationary, lever means for forcing said reciprocable stripping means toward' said anvil against the holding force of said brake means and incorporating a ratchet mechanism allowing said forcing to be done in' successive increments, means biasing said lever means for return to a starting position after each such forcing increment, and means acting at said starting position to release said ratchet mechanism for permitting withdrawal of said reciprocable stripping means from said anvil.

3. Means of the character described comprising a xed anvil, a stripping head mounted for reciprocation in relation to said anvil, brake means biased for holding said stripping head at any given position in relation to said anvil, a first lever means for forcing reciprocation of said stripping head toward said anvil against the holding force of said brake means and incorporating a ratchet mechanism allowing said forcing to be done in successive increments, means biasing said first lever means for return to a starting position after each such forcing increment, means acting at said starting position to release said ratchet mechanism thereat, and a second lever means operable whenever said rst lever means is at said starting position for withdrawing said stripping head from said anvil against the holding force of said brake means.

4. Means of the character described comprising a frame structure, an anvil fixed on said frame structure, a stripping head mounted for reciprccation in relation to said 'anvil on at least one slide rod guided by said frame structure, brake means biased for'holding said stripping head at any given position in relation to said anvil, said brake means being formed by an arm member having a transverse sleeve portion at one end slidably riding said stripping head slide rod and a lateral leg portion at the other end thereof for bearing on said frame structure with the bias thereon applied adjacent said sleeve portion end in the direction causing said leg portion to bear on said frame structure, and first and second lever means mounted on said frame structure and operable selectively for alternatively forcing reciprocation of said stripping head toward said anvil and withdrawing said stripping head therefrom against the holding forcent said brake means.

5. Means of the character described comprising a frame structure, an anvil fixed on said frame structure, a stripping head arranged slidably on said frame structure for reciprocation in relation to said anvil, brake means biased on said frame structure for holding said stripping head at any given position in relation to said anvil, a iirst lever means mounted on said frame structure for forcing reciprocation of said stripping head toward said anvil against the holding force of said brake means and incorporating a ratchet mechanism allowing said forcing to be done in increments by successive strokes of said iirst lever means from a starting position, means biasing said lirst lever means on said frame structure for return to said starting position after each such stroke, means acting at said starting position to release said ratchet mechanism thereat, and .a second lever means on said frame structure connected for following the reciprocating motion of said stripping head and alternatively operable whenever said rst lever means is at said starting position for forcing withdrawal of said stripping head from said anvil against the holding force of said brake means.

6. Means of the character described as dened in claim 5 and further characterized in that said stripping head incorporates a plurality of stripping blades extending in spaced parallel relation toward said anvil, and said anvil is formed with spaced clearance slots for said blades.

7. Means of the character described comprising an anvil, stripping means reciprocably in relation to said anvil, means for withdrawing said reciprocable stripping means from said anvil so that work to be stripped may be interposed, and lever means for forcing said reciprocable stripping means toward said anvil against the resistance encountered in stripping said interposed work, said lever means incorporating a ratchet mechanism allowing said forcing to be done in successive increments.

8. Means of the character described comprising an anvil, stripping means reciprocable in relation to said anvil, means for withdrawing said reciprocable stripping means from said anvil so that work to be stripped may be interposed, lever means for forcing said reciprocable stripping means toward said anvil against the resistance encountered in stripping said interposed work, said lever means incorporating a ratchet mechanism allowing said forcing to be done in successive increments and being biased for return to a starting position after each such forcing increment, and means acting at said starting position to release said ratchet mechanism for permitting Withdrawal of said reciprocable stripping means from said anvil by said second mentioned means.

9. Means of the character `described comprising a fixed anvil, `a stripping head mounted for reciprocation in relation to said anvil, a iirst lever means for forcing reciprocation of said stripping head toward said anvil against the resistance encountered in stripping work place therebetween, said first lever means incorporating a ratchet mechanism allowing said forcing to be done in successive increments and being biased for return to a starting position after any such forcing increment, means acting at said starting position to release said ratchet mechanism thereat, and a second lever means operable whenever said first lever -means is at said starting position for withdrawing said stripping head from said anvil.

10. Means lof the character described comprising a frame structure, an anvil fixed on said frame structure, a stripping head carried on said frame structure for sliding reciprocation in relation to said anvil, a first lever means mounted on said frame structure for forcing reciprocation of said stripping head toward said anvil against the resistance of work placed therebetween, said lirst lever means incorporating a ratchet mechanism a1- lowing said forcing to be done in increments by successive strokes of said lirst lever means, means biasing said iirst lever means with respect to said frame structure for return to a starting position after any such forcing stroke, means on said frame structure acting at said starting position to release saidratchet mechanism thereat, and a second lever means mounted on said frame structure and connected for following the reciprocatingV No references cited. 

